Carpet wringer



July 23, 1957 J, H. GOETZ ET AL CARPET WRINGER Filed Dec. 8, 1954 INVENTORS giwawfli'i'eflw A 7' 7'0 IfA EYS.

CARPET WRINGER John H. Goetz, Wauwatosa, and William C. Goetz, Brookiield, Wis.

Application December 8, 1954, Serial No. 473,822

3 Claims. (Cl. 68-261) The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art of cleansing carpets, rugs, hides, and the like, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of carpet or rug rinsers and wringers for removing residual cleaning fluid and excess moisture from such articles upon delivery thereof from a scrubbing or cleansing zone.

The primary object of our invention is to provide an improved carpet wringer which is simple and durable in construction, and highly eflective in use.

The prior modes of creating the desired squeezing pressure between superimposed wringer rolls involves the use of complicated superstructure and mechanism for producing the requisite pressure between the rolls, and when hydraulic pressure is employed the systems are subject to failure due to leakage, while the bulky superstructure also obstructs the vision of the operators. After considerable study and experimentation we have discovered that such complication may be avoided and that safer and more dependable clear vision operation of such a wringer is obtainable, by mounting the upper roll in fixed bearings and by causing the lower complementary roll to float while being constantly urged toward the periphery of the top roll under the influence of accurately predetermined lifting pressure produced with simple mechanism disposed entirely beneath the wringing zone. When such pressure is released the weight of the heavy bottom roll aids in effectively releasing the lifting pressure, thus making it possible to lower the floating wringer roll with relatively slight power and in cases of emergency.

It is therefore an important object of the present in- Vention to provide an improved carpet wn'nger assemblage adapted for cooperation with any desirable type of scrubbing and rinsing mechanisms, to most effectively wring articles of various thickness passing between the wringer rolls.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting for the squeeze rolls of a carpet or rug wringer, whereby these rolls will normally function at maximum efliciency, but may be readily separated whenever desired, and in which the movable roll mounting does not obstruct the operators vision.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an improved wringer for carpets or the like, embodying relatively long superimposed rolls, the upper of which is journalled in fixed end bearings while the lower roll is journalled in movable end bearings, and wherein the bottom roll may be subjected to any desired lifting force adapted to be readily adjusted and maintained at any predetermined value.

Still another important object of our present invention is to provide an improved superimposed wringer roll assemblage embodying long end journalled rolls, in which the axis of rotation of the upper roll is fixed while the lower roll is vertically movable by definite pressure applied thereto intermediate its end bearings with the aid of one or more adjustable weights.

atent An additional important object of our invention is to provide an improved fluid pressure actuated system for relatively adjusting the rolls of a carpet or rug wringer, and for separating the wringer rolls in opposition to forces normally tending to urge them together.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description from which it may be noted that the gist of our improvement is the provision of a carpet or rug wringer comprising a pair of superimposed peripherally coacting rolls rotatable about approximately horizontal axes, the upper roll being rotatable in fixed end bearings while the lower roll is journalled for rotation in vertically movable end bearings, and means for constantly urging the lower roll upwardly toward the upper roll.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvement, and of the construction and operation of a typical commercial carpet wringer embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. l is a front elevation of a completely assembled carpet wringer built in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the wringer shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the roll driving end of the assemblage and having a portion of the drive housing broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged diagram of the wringer rolls and of two of the anti-friction reaction saddles coacting with the medial portions of these rolls; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front and side perspective view of the wringer rolls and saddles and of the weighted levers for supporting the lower roll and its carrying saddles.

While the invention is shown and described as having been embodied in a carpet wringer having superimposed squeezing rolls of relatively great length the lower of which is movable upwardly by means of weighted levers and is adapted to be lowered by fluid such as liquid under pressure, it is not our desire or intent to unnecessarily restrict the use of the improved features by virtue of this limited embodiment; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the actual disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the improved carpet wringer illustrated therein, comprises in general, a main frame having a base 6 forming a support for opposite end columns 7, 8 and for a pair of intermediate U-shaped brackets 9, 10, and also having a top beam 11 spanning and firmly uniting the upper extremities of the columns 7, 8; an upper elongated wringer roll 12 having its opposite ends journalled in fixed bearings 13, 13 mounted upon the columns 7, 8 respectively, while its medial portion coacts with spaced top saddles i4, 15 carried by the cross beam 11; a lower similarly elongated wringer roll 16 having its opposite ends journalled in movable bearings 17, 17' slidably confined within upright slots formed in the columns 7, 8 respectively, while its medial portion is engaged by spaced bottom saddles 18, 19 pivotally supported upon the upper ends of levers 20, 21 the medial portions of which are fulcrumed on the brackets 9, 10 respectively, and the lower ends of which are provided with adjustable weights 22, 23; fluid pressure actuated rams 24, 25 operable by a pump 26 to positively lower the movable lower roll 15; and driving mechanism for the wringer mounted upon the frame base 6 and end column 7.

The main frame may be constructed of structural steel and steel plate with the various parts thereof rigidly united in any suitable manner to provide an open structure presenting an unobstructed view of the wringing zone. The

Patented July 23, 1957' during normal functioning of the wringer.

U-shaped brackets 9, which support the levers 20, 21 are mounted upontransverse beams 28 Welded or otherwise firmly attached to the opposite elongated side beams of the base 6, and the upright columns 7, 3 restdirectly upon the ends of the frame base and directly support the opposite ends of the top beam 1 1 from the medial portion of which the upper reaction saddles 14, for the toproll 12, are suspended: An extremely rigid frame assemblage the top, portion of which is" devoidof complicated mechanism for applying squeezing pressure to the wringer rolls 12", 176', is thus provided; and a suitable rinse .water'supply pipe 29 and hand guard 30 may also be suspended from the front side of the sturdy cross beam 11, while elongated and downwardly inclined feed and discharge tables 31,. 32: may be supported from. the

opposite sides of the end columns 7, 8 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and .21

The elongated superimposed wringer rolls 12, 16 may be of' any desired similar construction and only the upper roll 12 which is journalled in the stationary bearings 13, 1'3" carried by the columns 7, 8 is positively driven. The lower floating roll 16 which is journalled in the vertically movable bearings 17,, 1 7' slidably associated with the frame columns'7, 8, and which rests upon the saddles 18, I9 is therefore frictionally rotatable only by' virtue of peripheral contact with the. upper roll 1201 with the material being advanced between the two rolls 12, 16. The top roll reaction saddles 14, 15 and the bottom roll supporting saddles-18, 19 may all be of similar construc-.

tion, each comprising a pair of parallel rollers 34 adapted to engage the periphery ofithe adjacent wringer roll 12, 16, but. the upper reaction saddles 14, 15 are stationary While the lower saddles 18, 19 are swingably secured to the upper ends of their supporting levers 20, 21 respectively by means of pivot pins-V35 as shown in Figs. 1 and- 3.

The lower roll supporting levers 20,, 21 are fulcrumed upon pivots 37 mounted in the brackets 9, 10 and the weights 22, 23' are slidably mounted for adjustment along the lower ends of the levers 20,. 21 and may be secured in various positions of adjustment with the aid of clamping screws 33, See Figs. land 4'. These levers 21 are also provided with off-set portions near the pivots 37 which enable each lever' to swing'in'dependently of the other.

This arrangement of the levers 20, 21 and weights 22, 23

may be utilized to cause the-lever and'weight-a ssernblages to normally lift the. lower wringer roll 16 through the saddles ls, 19 withany desired degree of pressure-which will always remain constant for a predetermined adjustment of the weights 22, 23. r

The fluid pressure rams 24, have their cylinders pivotally suspended from the top beam 11 as indicated in Fig. l and are provided with plungers 39, 40 secured to release the pressure from within the rams 24, 25 so as to permit the weighted levers 20, 21 to elevate the roll 16 The fluid pressure system thus provided, thereforeis utilized only for the purpose of separating the wringer rolls 12, 16 for inspection and cleaning purposes and does not affect the normal operation of the wringer unit.

The wringer driving mechanism is housedwithina casing 43 secured to the end column 7 of the main frame, and comprises an electric motor 44 drivingly connected by an endless drive 45 with speed reduction gearing confined within a gear box 46, and which is connectable through a jack shaft 47 and another endless drive-48, with the propelling. shaft of the upper wringer roll 12, as

illustrated generally in Figs. 1 andsl-c h driving initially adjusted to produce the desired uniform lifting,

effect upon the lower roll 16 by properly positioning the weights 22, 23 upon their levers 20, 21 while the hydraulic rams 24, 25 are released, whereupon the motor 44 may be operated by closing a switch- 59' mounted upon the cross beam 11, and rinsing water may be sprayed from the pipe 29 into the wringing zone in advance of rolls 12, 16. The material which is to be wrung may then be delivered flatwise from the scrubber or from a prerinsing Zone between'tlie rolls 1-2, 16 over the feed plate 3-1 and as it travels past these rolls it is subjected to a powerful squeezing pressure produced by the weighted levers 2t), 21 thus expressing most of the moisture in the form of free liquid which flows down the feed plate 31. While this wringing action is being effected, the

rinsing water delivered-from the pipe 29- will also remove any residual chemical; and other foreign matter so that the material ejected from the wringing zone will be relatively dry and clean.-

During such normal operation of the mechanism, the lower roll 16 may fioat up or down inorder" to accommodate materials of various thickness, and while the upper reaction saddles 1'4, 15' merely function to absorb pressure tending tobend the top roll 12, the lower saddles 18, 19 serve to effect uniform distribution of the lift-ing and squeezing pressure applied to the bottom roll 16 by the weights 22', 23 and levers 2G, 21. These lower floatingsupporting saddles 18', 19 also permit the rolls 12, 1-6 to automatically separate in case hard foreign materials are admitted or a choke-up occurs, but the rolls 12, 16 may also be readily separated with the aid of the hydraulic rams 24", 25' and the pump 26 whenever it is desired to inspect and clean'the' wringer rolls.

From the foregoing detailed description it should be apparent that the present invention in fact provides a wringer for carpets or the like, which is simple but durable in construction and highly efficient in operation, and wherein the operator always has an unobstructed view of the work because the wringing zone is free from complicated mechanism for urging the rolls. 12,v 16 toward each other, This clear vision results from the application-of the squeezing pressure against the lower movable roll 16, and the application of such pressure through the floating-lower saddles 18'; 19 coacting with the medial portions of the roll 16 remote from its end bearings 17, 17 also insure's-moreuniform distribution of the wringing. force throughout the entire width of the wringing zone.

The levers 20, 21' and weights 22, 23 also provide simple means forestablishing and maintaining any desired constant wringing pressure, and for eliminating possible failure of such pressure which sometimes occurs with hydraulic pressure systems and springs of the type heretofore utilized. The hydraulic rams 24, 25 which are inactive during-normal operation of the machine, provide It should" be understoodthat' it is not desired to limit this invention tothe exact' details of construction and operation of the carpet wr-inger, s ecificall shown and described herein, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

We claim: 7

1. In a carpet wringer, a frame having opposite end columns firmly interconnected by a top beam, an upper roll and a lower roll comprising a pair of elongated superimposed wringer rolls rotatable between said columns and beneath said beam about approximately horizontal axes, fixed bearings rotatably supporting the opposite ends of the upper of said rolls from said frame, vertically movable bearings rotatably supporting the opposite ends of the lower of said rolls from said frame for movement of said lower roll toward and away from said upper roll, a saddle secured to said beam and having thereon a pair of reaction rollers locally coacting with the periphery of said upper roll inwardly remote from said fixed end bearings, crossed supporting levers for said lower roll pivotally suspended from said frame, a saddle supported upon each of said levers and each having thereon a pair of press rollers locally coacting with the periphery of said lower roll inwardly remote from said movable end bearings, a weight adjustable along each of said levers for constantly urging said lever supported saddles and said lower roll upwardly with predetermined pressure, and means carried by said frame and coacting with said levers to counteract the action of said weights and to thereby cause said rolls to separate.

2. In a carpet wringer, a frame having opposite end columns firmly interconnected by a top beam, an upper roll and a lower roll comprising a pair of elongated superimposed wringer rolls rotatable between said columns and beneath said beam about approximately horizontal axes, fixed bearings rotatably supporting the opposite ends of the upper of said rolls from said frame, vertically movable bearings rotatably supporting the opposite ends of the lower of said rolls from said frame for movement of said lower roll toward and away from said upper roll, spaced saddles fixedly secured to said beam and each having thereon a pair of reaction rollers locally coacting with the periphery of said upper roll inwardly remote from said fixed end bearings, crossed supporting levers for said lower roll pivotally suspended from said frame, a saddle pivotally mounted upon each of said levers and each having thereon a pair of press rollers locally coacting with the periphery of said lower roll inwardly remote from said movable end bearings, a

weight adjustable along each of said levers for constantly urging said pivoted saddles and said lower roll upwardly with predetermined pressure, and fluid pressure actuated means coacting with said levers to counteract the action of said weights and to thereby cause said lower roll to move away from said upper roll.

3. In a carpet wringer, a frame having opposite end columns firmly interconnected by a top beam, an upper roll and a lower roll comprising a pair of elongated superimposed wringer rolls rotatable between said columns and beneath said beam about approximately horizontal axes, fixed bearings rotatably supporting the opposite ends of the upper of said rolls from said columns, vertically movable bearings rotatably supporting the opposite ends of the lower of said rolls from said columns for movement of said lower roll toward and away from said upper roll, means for positively rotating said upper roll alone, spaced saddles fixedly secured to said beam and each having thereon a pair of reaction rollers locally coacting with the periphery of said upper roll inwardly remote from said fixed end bearings, supporting levers for said lower roll pivotally suspended intermediate their ends from said frame, a saddle pivotally mounted upon one end of each of said levers and each having thereon a pair of press rollers likewise locally coacting with the periphery of said lower roll inwardly remote from said movable end bearings, a weight adjustable along the opposite end of each of said levers for constantly urging said pivoted saddles and said lower roll upwardly with predetermined pressure, and fluid actuated means coacting with said levers to counteract the action of said weights and to thereby separate said rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,494 Ungerer Jan. 2, 1940 23,753 Brown et a1 Apr. 26, 1854 41,265 Porter Jan. 12, 1864 193,135 Banfield July 17, 1877 482,410 Oveson Sept. 13, 1892 492,132 Bessonette Feb. 21, 1893 1,854,021 Derby Apr. 12, 1932 2,185,481 Ungerer Jan. 2, 1940 2,685,791 Hall Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,035 Great Britain 1912 

